"The company is hoping to replace more than half a million jobs with robots by 2033, as the New York Times reported this week (the company is currently the United States' second-largest employer after Walmart.) And in the meantime, it's looking to make the human workers it's stuck with as machine-like as possible. Just look at the company's efforts to enhance its delivery drivers' productivity with new smart glasses that can scan packages and provide turn-by-turn directions on the road."
"Whether the goal is to make the lives of its already overworked drivers easier, or to squeeze every last drop out of them by turning them into dystopian cyborg drones that record their every move, is up for debate. In either case, it's unlike anything we've seen in the workforce previously, meaning a lot could be riding on the success or failure of the experiment. The smart glasses, which Reuters first got wind of in November, were officially revealed this week."
Amazon is investing heavily in automation and robotics with a goal to replace more than half a million jobs by 2033 while remaining a top U.S. employer. The company is introducing smart glasses for delivery drivers that scan packages, provide turn-by-turn directions, detect hazards, and help navigate complex environments like apartment buildings. The glasses use a vest containing a battery and a camera trigger instead of pairing with a smartphone. The company says hundreds of Delivery Associates contributed input. The technology could ease driver workloads or increase workplace surveillance and privacy concerns, potentially affecting future labor dynamics.
Read at Futurism
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